Vilda Boe Risa makes admission on her career ahead of Norway’s Euro 2025 opener | OneFootball

Vilde Boe Risa admits she didn’t expect to become a professional footballer as she prepares for Euro 2025 with Norway.

Norway international Vilde Boe Risa has admitted that she never expected to become a professional footballer and still feels she hasn’t ‘made it’, ahead of Norway’s Euro 2025 opener against Switzerland.

The Atletico Madrid midfielder has reflected on her time at Manchester United and looked ahead to future goals, as Norway seek success in Switzerland this summer.

Women’s Euro 2025 kicks off with Iceland vs Finland at 5pm (BST) on Wednesday, before Norway face hosts Switzerland at 8pm.

Boe Risa will likely start in midfield for English head coach Gemma Grainger on Wednesday night. Norway hold high hopes for the tournament, which have been helped by being placed in a favourable Group A.

The 29-year-old has spent the last two years at Atletico Madrid, after joining the Spanish side from Manchester United in 2023.

She has become one of Norway’s most important players, earning 84 caps for her country since 2016.

Ahead of Norway’s clash with Switzerland, Boe Risa was interviewed by fashion magazine Russh.

Vilde Boe Risa reveals she never expected to be a professional footballer

Former Manchester United star Vilde Boe Risa reveals she never expected to have a career as a professional footballer, as she prepares to represent Norway at Women’s Euro 2025.

She told Russh: “When, when I was five or six year old, playing around in the backyard, I didn’t know it was possible for me to play for Man United because they didn’t have a women’s team. You couldn’t. It wasn’t an option.

“There wasn’t any money, you couldn’t play professional football. That’s why we didn’t think that it was going to be an option because it wasn’t at that time.”

Despite playing for some of the top teams in women’s football, Boe Risa still says she is not sure she has ‘made it’ as a professional footballer.

Ahead of Euro 2025, Boe Risa says she is striving for more success during her football career.

She said: “I always strive for something bigger, something better. Mostly it’s a personal goal to develop as a player. I would not be happy to stay where I am. I feel like I always would like to be better at so many different points. I think it’s a personal development. I’ve always strived to get better.”

Who is Vilde Boe Risa?

Vilde Boe Risa is an experienced Norwegian international midfielder, who started her senior career at the age of 17.

The 29-year-old started her career at Arna-Bjornar, based in her home city of Bergen in Norway.

After spells with BK Hacken (then known as Kopparbergs/Goteborg FC) in Sweden and Sandviken in Norway, she joined Manchester United in July 2021.

During her time with the Red Devils she scored eight goals in 44 appearances. She was part of the squad that lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the 2023 FA Cup final.

She joined Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2023 and has netted five goals in 68 outings.

There was some doubt over whether she would still be with the club next season, as her contract was set to expire at the end of June.

However, on June 9th, she signed a one-year extension with the club.

Women’s Euro 2025 will be Boe Risa’s fourth major international tournament with Norway and her second Euros.

What are Norway’s chances of success at Euro 2025?

According to the UK’s top betting sites, Norway are favourites to win Group A at odds of 8/13.

Should Norway advance past the group stage, they will face one of Spain, Italy, Belgium or Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Norway are tied as eighth favourites to win the tournament, alongside Group A rivals Switzerland, and Italy, at 25/1.

The Scandinavian country are one of only two nations to win the Women’s Euros more than once. Norway won the trophy in 1987 and 1993, but are still well behind Germany who have won eight out of the 13 tournaments held.

In the Switzerland vs Norway betting tips, Vilde Boe Risa’s side are favourites to pick up the victory.